Loft / Roof Insulation

Heat rises, and in an uninsulated home a quarter of your heat is lost through the roof. Insulating your loft, attic or flat roof is a simple and effective way to save that waste and reduce your heating bills. Loft insulation is effective for at least 40 years and could save you up to £175 per year.

Source : Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Wall Insulation

Around a third of all the heat lost in an uninsulated home goes through the walls? In winter, the colder it is outside, the faster heat from your home will escape into the surrounding air. Insulating your walls could save you up to £135 per year.

Source : Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Windows

All properties lose heat through their windows but energy-efficient glazing keeps your home warmer and quieter as well as reducing your energy bills. That might mean double or triple glazing, secondary glazing, or just heavier curtains. Replacing your windows could save you around £165 per year.

Source : Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Pipes and water cylinder

Lagging water tanks and pipes reduces the amount of heat that escapes, so you spend less money heating water up, and hot water stays hotter for longer. Insulating (lagging) your Hot Water Cylinder and primary pipework could save you up to £55 per year.

Source : Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Central Heating Controls

You can upgrade or install heating controls without replacing your boiler, and it’s a particularly good idea to think about this if your controls are over 12 years old. Installing a room thermostat and hot water cylinder stat could save you up to £100 per year. Installing Thermostatic Radiator Valves and heating zone controls could save you even more.

Source : Energy Saving Trust www.energysavingtrust.org.uk

Regular boiler maintenance

Regular maintenance of your boiler not only keeps you and your home safe but also saves money and helps protect the environment. A poorly maintained boiler can cause it to work inefficiently meaning greater fuel usage and additional cost to you.

Energy Saving Tips

1. Turn your room thermostat and / or thermostatic radiator valves down. Reducing your room temperatures by as little as 1°C could cut your heating bills by up to 10 percent and typically saves around £50 per year.
2. If you have a programmer, set your heating and hot water to come on only when required rather than all the time.
3. Is your water too hot? Your boiler or cylinder thermostat should be set at around 60°C. Energy is often wasted by having to mix cold water to hot water before use.
4. A quick shower rather than a bath will save water and depending on the shower could significantly reduce hot water usage over a year.
5. Reduce draughts from doors and windows to reduce heat loss. Around 20% of heating is lost through draughts.
6. Close your curtains at dusk to reduce heat through the windows. This improves the thermal efficiency of your home.
7. Avoiding overfilling kettles or saucepans with cold water. Only use the water and heat that you need.
8. Use energy saving lightbulbs. They last up to 10 times longer than ordinary bulbs, and using one can save you around £45 over the lifetime of the bulb. This saving could be around £70 over its lifetime if you're replacing a high wattage incandescent bulb, or one used for more than a few hours a day.
9. When replacing a washing machine, tumble dryer, fridge or dishwasher, always use a reliable manufacturer and look for the best energy efficiency rating.
10. Turn off dripping taps to avoid wasting water, especially hot water. A dripping tap left for one day could fill a bath.

For more energy efficiency advice visit THE ENERGY SAVINGS TRUST at www.energysavingtrust.org.uk